MULTIPLICITY. An unjustly forgotten comedy that resembles “Groundhog Day”

With a high degree of certainty, it can be stated that if a movie is successful, sequels, prequels, spin-offs, etc., are quickly produced. Hollywood has always loved all kinds of continuations. However, there are also very good, sometimes even cult titles that not only don’t need a follow-up but would be difficult to conceive of one. A perfect example of this is Harold Ramis‘s “Groundhog Day,” with the wonderfully jaded Bill Murray in the lead role. Any continuation would be pointless because the story has a sensible, perfect ending. The director understood this perfectly, but since he was still drawn to similar themes, a few years later he made something that can easily be considered the spiritual successor to “Groundhog Day.” For some strange reason, the film titled “Multiplicity,” which is what I am referring to, has been somewhat forgotten, so it’s time to rectify this egregious oversight.

Doug Kinney (Michael Keaton), a busy forty-year-old working in a construction company, has no time for anything, which negatively affects his private life. One day, using the services of an innovative company, Doug is cloned. At first, everything goes according to plan: the second Doug (the clone) takes over his professional duties, and the original Doug finally has time for himself. But soon it becomes apparent that even two Kinneys cannot meet all the challenges of everyday life. The solution seems simple…

The story is firmly grounded in “our” reality, with the fantastic elements serving merely as starting points. The rest is a familiar and proven set of comedic devices by the director. The late Ramis, who passed away in 2014, came from a group of creators associated with the Canadian entertainment program “SCTV.” His portfolio was impressive – besides “Groundhog Day,” he directed several real hits such as “Caddyshack” and “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” and wrote scripts for “Ghostbusters” and “Animal House,” among others. In “Multiplicity,” similar to “Groundhog Day,” he mixed comedic elements with more lyrical ones, adding a small dose of science fiction. The result was a film perhaps not as good as the adventures of the sarcastic journalist in a time loop, but certainly worth attention and simply a pleasant title with great ideas.

Several interesting names appear in the frame. Michael Keaton, basking in the glory of his performances in two parts of Tim Burton’s “Batman” series, somewhat returned to comedy with this film, a genre in which he excelled in the previous decade. Originally, it was he who was supposed to play the role that Murray took in “Groundhog Day.” Andie MacDowell supports him admirably, with Eugene Levy, the father of Jim from the later “American Pie,” and Brian Doyle-Murray, Bill’s older brother who often plays minor roles, supporting from the background.

Keaton had the most challenging task, as he had to play several heterogeneous characters – each clone’s personality differs slightly from the others, and they often appear in the same scene, engaging in complex interactions. This required the creators to use a number of clever tricks, primarily involving computers, but the result met expectations, and the special effects have not aged to this day.

The film did not replicate the success of “Groundhog Day,” but that does not change the fact that it is definitely worth watching. Especially since many frustrated adults can easily relate to Doug’s problems. The director gives them a chance to let their imaginations run wild and at least “virtually” see what it would be like if they could multiply themselves. Because would more versions of oneself really be the right remedy for a lack of time? Maybe it’s enough to simply try to look at everyday life differently, making it seem not so gray? Harold Ramis seems to provide a clear answer. And in the form of a light comedy? Even better!